Belt-buckle.



PATENTED APR", 28, 1903."

P; bones. BELT BUCKLE. APPLIGA'IIOH rum) FEB. 7.1003.

R0 MODEL.

\A/H- JE J-EEE NrTE Mm" ATENT Felon.

BELT-BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 726,654, dated April 28, 1903.

Application filed February 7,1903. Serial No. 142,415. (No model.)

To all whom it may concerns Be it known that I, FRANK DODGE, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk-and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Belt-Buckles, of which the following is a specification.

The purpose of my invention is to provide a buckle which shall not only serve to hold the ends of the belt together and be in all respects as useful and ornamental as the metallic buckles now so largely used, but shall have the additional advantage of containing a purse serving to hold money or other small articles. For this purpose it comprises abaseplate, which is provided with the ordinary loops, and, in fact, forms the attaching portion of the buckle, and to this base-plate is hinged a recessed front, which gives to the whole structure sufficient capacity to receive a small purse or other holder, in which may be retained small change or bonbons, a small handkerchief, or other small articles.

My invention will be understood by reference to the drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a front elevation of a belt buckle embodying my invention, Fig. 2 being a rear elevation. Fig. 3 is a top view, and Fig. 4 a vertical section through the middle,

of the buckle, the buckle being open to'show the purse contained therein.

The ordinary belt-buckles such as are now very largely used contain what may be termed a false front or ornamental plate, which may be of any design and which atfords the ornamentation to the buckle. Such a plate is indicated at A, and in the buckle shown in the drawings it is brazed or otherwise attached to the front plate B. This front plate B may be stamped out or otherwise formed, so as to have in it a cavity of considerable size, as indicated at b in Fig. 4, and it is hinged along its lower edge at c to the base-plate O. This .base plate is provided with loops D D, one at each end. To one of said loops D one end of a belt is permanently attached, the other end of the belt being attached to a hook E, which is adapted to engage with the loop D when the belt is adjusted on the wearer.

Within the buckle is attached the purse F,

this purse being small and made of material sufficiently strong to answer the purpose, but

quite thin, so as not to take up an unnecessary amount of room. As shown, this purse contains two pockets ff, though one pocket would often be sufficient, and it may be attached to the belt-buckle in any convenient. way-for example, in the manner indicated in Figs. 2 and 4, where a V-shaped cut 0 0' being made in the two upper corners of the base-plate C the tongues thereby made are bent inwardlyslightly, and the upper edge of essary that its shape shall be rectangular, as

indicated in the drawings, nor that the purse contained therein shall be of tho-character disclosed. A single small bag will answer the purposes in many cases, my invention really consisting in hinging to the ordinary plate which forms the mechanical connection between the two ends of a belt a recessed part which shall carry the ornamentation and shall be provided with a suitable catch by means of which its free edge may be locked to the base-plate or buckle proper and preferably providing also a purse within the cavity which shall serve to hold the articles to be carried in the cavity. I have shown the base-plate or buckle proper slightly recessed in order to enlarge the cavity within the structure. My device is therefore a belt-buckle or light metallic device which, as shown, could not conveniently be used for any other purpose-such as, for example, carrying in the pocket. It is not, therefore, a pocketbook, nor could it be used as such.

What I claim as my invention is-- In a belt-buckle a base-plate having a loop at each end and a front plate hinged to one side thereof, and a catch adapted to lock the of one of said plates with relation to the other, as set forth. 10

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my free edge of said front plate and said baseplate, said base-plate and said front plate each being recessed as described, whereby a Lion with a purse suitably attached to said base-plate and said front plate, and contained within said cavity adapted to be reached by the unlocking of said catch and the moving FRANK DODGE;

Witnesses:

GEORGE O. G. COALE, M. E. FLAHERTY.

cavity is formed between them, in combinai name this 31st day of January, 1903. 

